CaptionCall: The Impact of Hearing Loss on Our Health
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There may be a direct link between staying socially connected and our overall health, research shows. This confirms what many healthcare professionals have believed for years, that aging adults who stay socially connected live longer, happier, healthier lives. So what’s that got to do with hearing loss?
Recent research at Johns Hopkins University1 suggests that hearing loss may play a much bigger role in our overall health than we previously thought. The study, led by Frank Lin, M.D., PH.D., showed that people with hearing loss were:
- 57% more likely to have deep episodes of stress, depression or bad mood
- 36% more likely to have prolonged stretches of illness or injury
- 32% more likely to be admitted to a hospital
These findings add to a growing list of previously undocumented health consequences associated with untreated hearing loss, such as fragmented sleep, an increased propensity for falling, and a greater risk of dementia and hypertension.
The Problem
Hearing loss, if left untreated, has a significant impact on one’s ability to stay connected. It makes face-to-face interactions difficult and using the telephone extremely frustrating. This often leads to loneliness and isolation—the precursors for many serious health risks.
A University of Chicago study2 showed that aging adults suffering from loneliness also had higher blood pressure. Loneliness increased the risk for high blood pressure more than any other psychological or social factor studied. They found that weight loss and physical exercise reduce blood pressure by the same amount that loneliness increases it. And high blood pressure is a major risk factor for heart disease, the leading cause of death in the United States.
The Solution
CaptionCall provides a simple, no-cost solution to help people with hearing loss stay connected with friends and family. It restores confidence and independence, gives peace of mind, and favorably impacts overall health and wellness.
CaptionCall is an amplified telephone that displays written captions of what callers say on a large easy to-read display screen so you don’t miss a single word. It makes staying connected with friends and family easy again.
The CaptionCall phone is available at no cost to anyone who has trouble hearing on the phone and has had their hearing loss diagnosed by a hearing-care or healthcare professional. All an individual needs to get started is a phone line and Internet connection. CaptionCall takes all of the stress out of getting started by delivering, installing and training qualified individuals on how to use it—all at no cost. CaptionCall helps people with hearing loss use the phone again, with confidence.
To order a free CaptionCall phone, simply complete a Professional Certification Form and have it signed by a hearing‑care or healthcare provider.
Fax or email the completed form to CaptionCall at 1-888-778-5838 or certification@captioncall.com. Upon receipt, a CaptionCall representative will contact the hearing-impaired individual to schedule their free delivery and installation. Certification forms are available at captioncall.com, or call 1‑877‑557‑2227.
1 Johns Hopkins University Research:
• https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/news/media/releases/hearing_loss_in_older_adults_tied_to_more_hospitalizations_and_poorer_physical_and_mental_health
2 University of Chicago Research:
Other Interesting articles:
• https://www.aarp.org/health/brain-health/info-07-2013/hearing-loss-linked-to-dementia.html
• https://www.livescience.com/697-loneliness-kills-study-shows.html